The Sufficient (Vol 3) · Hadith 926 (#Ḥadīth #4)

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) مَا تَقُولُ فِي الأطْفَالِ الَّذِينَ مَاتُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغُوا فَقَالَ سُئِلَ عَنْهُمْ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ الله أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَا عَنَى بِذَلِكَ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا عَنَى كُفُّوا عَنْهُمْ وَلاَ تَقُولُوا فِيهِمْ شَيْئاً وَرُدُّوا عِلْمَهُمْ إِلَى الله.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah who has said the following: “I asked abu ‘Abd Allah , about children who die before maturity and he replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah was asked about them and he said, “Allah knows best about what they may do.’” Then he turned to me and said, ‘O Zurarah, do you know what the Messenger of Allah meant thereby?’ I said, ‘No, I do not know.’ He said, ‘He meant to say, “You must not say anything about them but leave their affairs to Allah (to deal with).’””

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).